Unfair to Solo Cruisers on Holland America

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One item which would actually tip the scales a tiny bit for me personally, is how Princess gives you double cruise day credit if you book as a single and pay the single supplement. It takes a little bit of the sting out of paying 100% single supplement when I know I'm earning double cruise day credit. Why doesn't HAL try offering that to single guests?

I've been complaining about that for years. And it's not only Princess. Other lines (Celebrity, Azamara, and I forget which others) also award double loyalty points for us solos who pay double. But I find it interesting that Princess is one of the CCL lines, same as HAL. Incidentally, as others have mentioned on this thread, two of the other CCL lines (Princess and Cunard) also award full cabin OBC. HAL generally sticks to the "per person" rule regarding OBC, although the OP got them to bend it.

I will be going on my first cruise with Holland America in September. I was charged double the "double occupancy" rate for my inside cabin. A single supplement of 100%. The current promotion of $100 per cabin OBC was cut in half because I am a solo. I'm only getting $50 instead of $100. Since I am literally paying for two people I feel I should get the entire OBC. I think Holland America is being cheap and unfairly discriminating against solo cruisers. Am I wrong?

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It does not seem fair. Have you tried getting HAL to quote you a price WITHOUT the current promotion? That might solve your issue. Does not hurt to ask. I have booked several cruises now using a non-promotion fare.

I think you should get the full OBC since you are paying for the cabin and that's what they say each cabin should get. Does not seem fair that you only get $50.

And what if it rained - that would be unfair also, wouldn't it?

And what if it rained - that would be unfair also, wouldn't it?

Meaningful analogy??

At least call about getting the stateroom OBC amount, which seems a plausible interpretation of the advertised offer (I have not read the entire thread).

If you're stuck with only $50 you could budget $50 less on board to compensate. Spending is only loosly related to happiness.. if at all.

You are wrong and here is why.

 

Cruiselines get about 70% of their income from fares and 30% from on board spend. So when you look at a cabin when two passengers book and the fare is X, the anticipated total revenue is (2X fares + 2(.42X) on board spend) = 2.84X. Now with a solo fare in the cabin you get X fare + X (single supplement) +.42X =

2.42X. So on average the cruise lines loses 42% of a fare in potential income for the solo cabin.

 

So even with the 100% solo supplement, and the reduced OBC the cruise line still loses ... (quote)

 

 

Just to clarify/correct, assuming the quoted ratios are correct, a cruise line loses approximately 15% of optimal income on each cabin booked by a solo. That being said the language of their offer should control the result re: OBC.

Not at all. I get more than one pillow chocolate. :D

Yes, I make sure I get 2. Sometimes they will give me more than that. If so I take them home.

Meaningful analogy??

It is as meaningful as the claim of "unfairness".

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It is as meaningful as the claim of "unfairness".

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

Totally confusing! Time to put this thread to rest. As it turns out, Holland America did the right thing. But in the end I was forced to cancel my cruise because of health issues affecting my travel mates which caused them to cancel.

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Yes, I make sure I get 2. Sometimes they will give me more than that. If so I take them home.

(off original topic)

Well I wish you'd have told me that, Ted, when we were at the Cellar Master dinner on Zaandam to Hawaii couple of months ago. I'm the one Ruth C was responding to (post #27) and I've suffered in silence with with my one pillow chocolate ever since I started with HAL .

(off original topic)

Well I wish you'd have told me that, Ted, when we were at the Cellar Master dinner on Zaandam to Hawaii couple of months ago. I'm the one Ruth C was responding to (post #27) and I've suffered in silence with with my one pillow chocolate ever since I started with HAL .

If only you had asked. I am looking forward to the Amsterdam Cellar Master dinner on Amsterdam on 7/3. :halo:

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but my own is very different. I've traveled solo for a good many years now and I am accustomed to the smaller, rear-facing hotel rooms designated as "single" rooms in Europe, and to the (generally) inside cabins on cruise ships that are usually the only ones where solos might get a bit of a price break (e.g., only 160% or 175% instead of 200%) on the mass market lines.

 

HAL could just as easily have taken the space and made these into basic two-person cabins by changing the configuration a bit. Instead they made solo cabins. Not everyone finds it insulting to have an option that's at least somewhat more affordable, as a solo.... For solos who, like me, consider a cabin as a place to lay one's head and keep one's belongings primarily, it may be well appreciated.

 

Personally, I cruise for the ports and would rather take 3 European trips annually in "steerage" cabins and 3 star hotels than one "blowout" trip. Others who are very into having a big spacious cabin, balcony, concierge, etc will have a different view.

 

It's great that their are some choices for everyone, and it's a wise person who remembers that it's better to choose the best available option than to refuse a reasonable option and miss out.

As you say we are all entitled to our opinions and the privilege of politely disagreeing. with a nother if we wish. :) I am a solo who looks for comfort in my cabin and decent location. matters to me as does the c hoi e to have at least a 'Juliet' balcony.l I spend time in my cab in and do not wish to feel like I am hace veen shoved into a closet. . If I feel like I am stuck in a hole in thebow, I don't think I would go. I'd rather not. Just my choice and no reason anyone need agree. If have to dread returning to my room, noo, that is not for me.

As you say we are all entitled to our opinions and the privilege of politely disagreeing. with a nother if we wish. :) I am a solo who looks for comfort in my cabin and decent location. matters to me as does the c hoi e to have at least a 'Juliet' balcony.l I spend time in my cab in and do not wish to feel like I am hace veen shoved into a closet. . If I feel like I am stuck in a hole in thebow, I don't think I would go. I'd rather not. Just my choice and no reason anyone need agree. If have to dread returning to my room, noo, that is not for me.

Certainly, if I were to cruise alone I would not want to be closeted in an interior cabin. Neither would I need the extra closet space or double basins provided in a SS suite. I think that I would do just fine as one person in a regular balcony cabin.

Certainly, if I were to cruise alone I would not want to be closeted in an interior cabin. Neither would I need the extra closet space or double basins provided in a SS suite. I think that I would do just fine as one person in a regular balcony cabin.

I rarely do an inside cabin but sometimes that is all that is left, like on the final Ryndam transatlantic. It isn't all bad, napping is pretty nice when the room is pitch black.

You are wrong and here is why.

 

Cruiselines get about 70% of their income from fares and 30% from on board spend. So when you look at a cabin when two passengers book and the fare is X, the anticipated total revenue is (2X fares + 2(.42X) on board spend) = 2.84X. Now with a solo fare in the cabin you get X fare + X (single supplement) +.42X =

2.42X. So on average the cruise lines loses 42% of a fare in potential income for the solo cabin.

 

So even with the 100% solo supplement, and the reduced OBC the cruise line still loses ... (quote)

 

 

Just to clarify/correct, assuming the quoted ratios are correct, a cruise line loses approximately 15% of optimal income on each cabin booked by a solo. That being said the language of their offer should control the result re: OBC.

 

Here is why such a gernalization does not work, necessarilly. On e solo cruiser rmay know and enjoy others who are on board and host them to dinner in Pinnacle or per haps sendss botttles of wine to their dining table a numb er of evenings. Maybe said solo cruiser chooses to make a costly jewelry purchase in shop on board. maybe his or her niece is graduating and finds the perfect gift to give her. When we lump all of a group under one description, we otren do not get a fully accurate picture. : DH and I did not often do ship's tours but preferred to go off on our own in many ports. As a solo now, perhaps I might book some tours...additonal spending I didn''t do as rpart of a couple..

Here is why such a gernalization does not work, necessarilly.

It isn't a generalization. It's a marketing forecast. It's based on a clear and comprehensive understanding of the market segment. It is not only a reliable way to run a mass market business but actually it is the state of the art.

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Whilst there has been a small increase in the number of single cabins in newbuilds, there won't be a bigger increase, despite the aging population, whilst people continue to pay high single supplements.

In the meantime, my heart sings every time I see the magic words "no single supplement". I have made a decision to cruise less on more expensive ships which offer no, or low, single supplements and do more land travel, which is better value for solo cruisers.

Whilst there has been a small increase in the number of single cabins in newbuilds, there won't be a bigger increase, despite the aging population, whilst people continue to pay high single supplements.

 

In the meantime, my heart sings every time I see the magic words "no single supplement". I have made a decision to cruise less on more expensive ships which offer no, or low, single supplements and do more land travel, which is better value for solo cruisers.

I have no idea which ships offer no or low single supplement. It might be a good option to entice a single family member to cruise with us. How did you identify such ships when there are so many to check?

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but my own is very different. I've traveled solo for a good many years now and I am accustomed to the smaller, rear-facing hotel rooms designated as "single" rooms in Europe, and to the (generally) inside cabins on cruise ships that are usually the only ones where solos might get a bit of a price break (e.g., only 160% or 175% instead of 200%) on the mass market lines.

 

HAL could just as easily have taken the space and made these into basic two-person cabins by changing the configuration a bit. Instead they made solo cabins. Not everyone finds it insulting to have an option that's at least somewhat more affordable, as a solo.... For solos who, like me, consider a cabin as a place to lay one's head and keep one's belongings primarily, it may be well appreciated.

 

Personally, I cruise for the ports and would rather take 3 European trips annually in "steerage" cabins and 3 star hotels than one "blowout" trip. Others who are very into having a big spacious cabin, balcony, concierge, etc will have a different view.

 

It's great that their are some choices for everyone, and it's a wise person who remembers that it's better to choose the best available option than to refuse a reasonable option and miss out.

I second that, and then some... I'd rather sail with an inside cabin for eight days, than have a suite for seven.

No, that would make no sense since it can only accommodate a single. ;)

That is technically the case, but the price for those single cabins is nearly as much as the single supplement fare in other cabins.

I think the OBC should apply to the ROOM and HAL needs to start being nicer to us solo travelers. However, I if you want to have good pricing for solo trips, try November Caribbean cruises. I have done several and only paid 60% above double occupancy.

I would like everyone to know that the only cruise line doing a good job for solo travelers in NCL. All their newer ships have special hallways (usually higher up in the ship) dedicated to the smaller rooms. And they provide a lounge area access only by Single room guests. If you have not tried NCL I suggest you do. NCL Bliss is coming out in 2018. The NCL Epic has the most single rooms. The Getaway, Breakaway and Escape have a nice amount. I have a single room on the Pride of America for Hawaii in 2019. HAL Koningsdam has a few single rooms but guess where there are! You got it - the lowest level under the World stage. Lousy location and a half hearted try in my book. But alas, I am on that ship in 2018 for Norway. I booked an Ocean view room on sun deck all the way forward and looking forward. Well worth it. So while I do still like HAL, I travel more and more on NCL to get the good prices. They offer specials on shore excursions and specialty restaurants. They also offer various times only 50 dollars deposit too.

I agree with a lot of what has been said here, and I'm sure HAL wants to get as many doubles onto their ship as possible. However, given the demographics of who cruises on HAL ships, I think it's simply wishful thinking that they can force people to keep paying the single supplement forever.

 

Earlier this year I booked on Silversea because their single supplement is as low as 25% on many of their cruises. Yesterday, I booked a cruise onboard NCL which I never thought I would do, solely because HAL's price for a similar cruise required paying 100% single supplement, and NCL waives single supplement if they suspect the cruise might not sell out completely. As much as I would prefer to have booked on HAL, I can't turn down a waived single supplement.

 

One item which would actually tip the scales a tiny bit for me personally, is how Princess gives you double cruise day credit if you book as a single and pay the single supplement. It takes a little bit of the sting out of paying 100% single supplement when I know I'm earning double cruise day credit. Why doesn't HAL try offering that to single guests?

Aftwer losing my DH, friends invited me to sail with them on nCL Dawn. I als o swore I would never sail NCL> I m happy I did. I truly dislike all the grafitti painted on the hullI of NCL ships. I paid 200% for my cabin, same as I am doing for my upcoming HAL cruise. All cruises I have looked at are 200% for solo particualy in a suite or balcony cabin. NCL Dawn exceeded my execxtations and it was way more than I anticipated. I left that ship quite sa tisifed. I had terrific benefits added to my booking. all gratuities included, all drinks included, spciacalty dining and OBC> I never had thatr kind of extrras on hAL but certrainly have had many wonderful extras on hAL so I am not complaining. But those extras on NCL were nice.

I got double cruise days credit on NcL BUT WILL NOT ON MY UPCOMING HAL cruise. I have so many days on HAL now, something over 300, those extra d few days don't mean much to me but I understand others care about those 7 or 10 or more days. They would be worth nothing to me.

I have no idea which ships offer no or low single supplement. It might be a good option to entice a single family member to cruise with us. How did you identify such ships when there are so many to check?

I am a prolific traveller and travel reader of newspaper travel advertisements. In addition, I subscribe to cruise lines which sometimes offer no single supplement.

I am a prolific traveller and travel reader of newspaper travel advertisements. In addition, I subscribe to cruise lines which sometimes offer no single supplement.

Ok, thanks. For the time being, then, I'll need to gather such information with repetitive steps, looking at each cruise individually.